Jerrald D. McCollum Scholarship
Dr. Jerrald D. McCollum, Emeritus Professor of Music at Metropolitan State University of Denver, taught for twenty-nine years in the areas of music education, choral music and choral conducting. He received his degrees from Florida State University and the University of Southern Mississippi. As an active member of the American Choral Directors Association, Dr. McCollum served a three-year term as President of the 400-member Colorado division of ACDA, and was state advisor for the Colorado student chapters of Music Educators National Conference. Dr. McCollum was Organist/and or Director of Music for seventeen years at Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church and Director of Music for eleven years at Wellshire Presbyterian Church. Upon retirement from MSU Denver, Dr. McCollum was awarded Emeritus status and was honored as Professor of the Year, 1998. In January 2001, Dr. McCollum organized, and conducts, the MSU Denver Alumni Choir—an auditioned choir of 40 singers who are alumni of the choral program at Metropolitan State University of Denver.
A scholarship application process will be held each year to select the scholarship winner(s). The MSU Denver Foundation, based upon the amount of the endowment, determines the award amount and number of awards annually. Awards are one-time awards and are not automatically renewable; however, previous recipients are eligible to receive another award.
Financial need is not a criterion for eligibility and applicants may not be eliminated from consideration because they have been awarded other forms of financial aid. There is no residency requirement for this scholarship. The eligibility criteria to apply for the scholarship competition are as follows:
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3.0 GPA
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Be a declared Music Education Major with a Choral Emphasis
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Have completed 30 hours at MSU Denver or as a transfer
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Have an outstanding potential as a music educator
Students wishing to apply for McCollum scholarship must submit an application to MSU Denver Music Office by the advertised deadline. The application should include an essay addressing the applicant’s background and qualifications for receiving the scholarship, a description of the applicant’s career plans, and a statement specifically addressing the eligibility criteria listed above. Five copies of the application must be submitted by the deadline, all signed and dated by the applicant.
Scholarship recipient(s) will be selected by a appointed by the Chair of the MSU Denver Department of Music and the appropriate area coordinator. Jerrald D. McCollum will be invited participate in the committee’s deliberations, but the committee will make the final decision. Based upon the application, as well as the committee’s knowledge of the applicant’s abilities, citizenship, and musical skills, the applicant(s) judged to have the greatest potential will be selected as winner(s). In the event that the committee determines that none of the applicants meet this criterion, no award will be made. All decisions made by the scholarship committee are final and cannot be appealed.
